Improvement in railway-cars



3 Sheets--Sheet 1.

M. NATHANSONV Railway-Gar.

No. 222,835. Patented Dec. 23,1879

NQEIERS. PNOTO-UTHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON DIG.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. M, NATHANSON.

Railway-Gar. No. 222,835; Patented Dec. 23,1879.

FlEr-E- l I, \/E Td ILFEIE'RS, FHOTOLJTHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D. C

UNITED STATES MORRISS NATHANSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY-CARS}.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,835, dated December 23, 1879; application filed October 25, 1879.

.of the car, and also to provide a compactlyfolding partition for dividing the several sleeping compartments or berths from each other.

To this end the chief feature of my invention hmay be stated to consist in constructing the car with a raised passage-way or aisle, and arranging the seats and berths on one or both sides thereof, with the beds prolonged under the raised passage-way, and preferably succeedin g each other alternately from either side of the passage.

In the drawings, Figure 1 presents a sectional plan view of a portion of a railroad-car constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 a vertical cross-section on line as 00.

As illustrated, a a indicate the main floor of the car, level, as usual, with the end platforms, 1) b. c 0 indicate the end doors of the car. A represents an elevated passage-way or aisle through the car from end to end thereof, and elevated, say, from two to three feet above the main floor. This elevated passage is preferably arranged centrally in the car in line with the end doors, as illustrated, and it may be extended to the doors but it preferably terminates near the same in small end compartments, d 01, fitted as toilet-rooms, &c., on a level with the main floor, and from which the elevated passageway is reached by the steps 6 c.

N ow, B B indicate the seats, whichare preferably arranged in each side of the car and on each side of the elevated passage-way, facing the Windows of the car, with their backs to the passage-way, as shown.

The seats, as illustrated, are arranged on the main floor below the elevated passage-way, and they are reached from the passage-way by the steps f f; and it will be observed that the floor-space in front of the seats on each side of the car forms additional passages through the car along the line of the seats.

Vertical posts 9 h arise from the floor to the roof of the car at dividing-points between the different seats and sections of the car, so that, by means of folding partitions extended longitudinally from post to post, and transversely from the posts h h to the sides of the car, the spaces allotted to each seat will become inclosed, and the interior of the car thus be divided up into a series of distinct compartments or berths, each inclosing one seat, which is convertible into a bed.

The seats, as shown, are arranged alternately on opposite sides of the passage-way in relatively-diagonal positions, and they are converted into beds, say, by turning down the upper portion of the seat, according to the well- 1 known manner, as shown in Fig.3, which thus causes the head of the bed to be projected within the side compartment or stateroom,

while the main portion of the bed is prolonged under the raised passage-way as far as the op posite side thereof, as illustrated. 1

By this construction it will be observed that beds of ample length are obtained within cars of the ordinary width, which is an important advantage. Thus, the width of the cars being nine feet, the length of the bed may be six feet or more, while the size of the stateroom will be three feet six inches by seven feet, more or less. Thelength of the bed may be further increased, if desired, by extending the steps ff and prolonging the foot of the bed into the same.

The inner ends of the beds under the raised passage meet on a slight taper, and are separated by a slightly diagonal partition, as shown, which, as will be observed, allots all the possible space to each bed, obtainingthe full length from the side of the car to the opposite side of the passage, while the width of the bed is contracted only gradually toward the foot portion, where greater width is not,

required, as will be readily understood.

The partitions c c 0 for dividing the several sections of the car from each other, when these sections are converted into berths or state-rooms, are formed, as shown, of a series of slats, it", hinged to each other alternately at opposite sides. One of the terminal slats is hinged to the fixed posts g g, and the free terminal slat, which is of thicker and larger size than the others, is fitted with a roller at PATENT QFFICE.

top and bottom, which is guided by suitable tracks, and is also provided with a suitable catch or locking device to engage with the opposite posts, h h. It willthus be observed that during the day these partitions may be folded up compactly against the posts 9 g, thus leaving the interior of the car open and unobstructed from section to section, while at night these partitions may be readily cXten ded across their respective sections and fastened in place, thus inclosing each section of the car into a distinct stateroom or berth. It will be observed that one or more of the partitions c 0 between the state-rooms may be left open, when parties desire to occupy two or more state-looms side by side, and the partitions 0 form private doors from each St-fliledDOUl to the common passage A.

I prefer to arrange the raised passage centrally in the car, and to arrange the beds on either side thereof, and to have the passage fixed permanently in this position, as illustrated; but it is obvious that the passage may be arranged on one side of the car, and the beds all on the other side, and prolonged under the passage; and instead of the raised passage being fixed it' may be arranged to fold so as to be out of positionsay, toward the sides of the car-during the day, and come into position and action only during the night, with the same relation to the beds as already described, without departing from the principle of my invention.

It will also be observed that, instead of arranging beds under the passage, this space may be utilized for closets, pantries, wardrobes, or similar uses; or a part of the space under the passage may be used for the beds, and a part for closets, 8E0.

Again, the seats maybe arranged at the extreme or window sides of the cars facing each other, and the space for the feet prolonged under the passage-way in front of the seats, which will. permit the use of easy recliningchairs.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A railroad-car having its interior constructed with a raised aisle or passageway superposed upon the floor thereof, with sleeping, sitting, or equivalent compartments arranged on one or both sides of said aisle, and prolonged under the same, thereby utilizing the concealed space beneath said aisle for an extension of the compartments, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. A railroad-car constructed with a raised aisle superposed upon the car-floor, and compartments arranged on a level with the floor on each side of said aisle, and prolonged under the saidraised aisle in alternate order f lOlI] either side thereof, substantially as herein shown and described.

MORRISS NATHANSON.

Witnesses: c

CHAS. M. Hreenvs, EDWARD H. WALES. 

